Diction is the writer's choice of words, details, and phrases, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, and effectiveness, which combine to create a specific meaning and effect within a passage. There are four main overarching types of diction: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang (Encyclopædia Britannica).
The five different types of diction exemplified below are: archaic diction, slang, jargon, profanity, and vulgarity.
Archaic diction
Archaic diction is the use of a form of speech or writing that is no longer current. This can either be done deliberately to achieve a specific effect, as a part of a specific jargon such as in the area of law, or as a formula, in religious contexts for instance (Wikipedia). Archaic diction is most frequently encountered in poetry, law, ritual writing, and speech.
An example can be taken from Sophocles' play, Oedipus the King, when the chorus sings in the first strophe, "Thou god of Healing, Phoebus Apollo,/ How do I fear! What hast thou in mind/ To bring upon us now? what is to be fulfilled/ From days of old?/Tell me this, O Voice divine,/ Thou child of golden Hope" (152 - 157). The usage of words such as "thou" and "hast", as well as the sentence structures, are examples of archaic diction, as they are no longer in common use today.
Slang
Slang is informal vocabulary of extreme informality. Slang can be composed typically of invented words, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagent figures of speech. It can also refer to unconventional words or phrases that express something in a new way; it is flippant, irreverent, indecorous, and maybe even indecent or obscene.
Slang can be found in the words of Colonel Lazaro Aponte, in Gabriel Garcia-Marquez's novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold. When the Colonel discovers Pedro and Pablo in Clotilde Armenta's store, he "thinks they are nothing but a pair of big bluffers" (65). The word "bluffers", in this case, is slang for "liars".
Jargon
Jargon is the special language of a profession or group, such as medical jargon or legal jargon. There is usually the implication that jargon is evasice and tedious. It is also often consists of unintelligible, obscure and pretentious language. Basically, jargon is the technical terminology specific to an occupation. The writings of a lawyer and the literary critic, for instance, are both susceptible to jargon.
Legal jargon is evident in The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, when Meursault is on trial for the murder of the Arab. Meursault does not pay attention throughout the entirety of his trial. When the verdict is announced, he does not recall the words of the judges verbatim, and simple remembers the words "guilty of murder"..."premeditated"..."extenuating circumstances" (106), which are most likely legal jargon.
Profanity
Profanity is the use of profane and irreverent language. It is the usage of a word, expression or gesture which is socially constructed as insulting, rude, and vulgar. The use and meaning of profanity is culturally and linguistically specific; in fact, a term that functions as profanity in one language may often lack any profane quality after being translated into another language. Profanity represents a secular indiferrence to religion, as well as expressions with scatological, sexist, derogatory, racist, or sexual themes.
In Albert Camus' The Stranger, the minor character, Salamano, constantly bellows and curses at his dog, calling him a "filthy, stinking bastard" (27) who deserves to "damn well die" (39). Profanity is shown in the obscene word choices of "bastard" and "damn well die" as Salamano yells at his pet dog.
Vulgarity
Vulgarity is the usage of obscene word and language. Vulgarity is similar to, but not entirely synonymous with profanity; the former consists of offenses against deities. On the other hand, profanity is basically a word or phrase that is put into place of another working force. Vultarity is pretentious and lay unwarranted claim to social graces and education, thus attempting to inflate the status of the user (Wikipedia).
Vulgarity can also be seen in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, where Poncho Lanao says she'll "never forget the terrible smell of shit" (142) as Santiago walked in the morning he was murdered, with his intestines hanging in his hands. This sentence shows vulgar diction in that the word "shit" can be replaced by a euphemism, such as "faeces" or "waste", or simply just an "arid smell". However, Gabriel Garcia-Marquez chose the word "shit" -- an example of vulgarity in the novel.
Works Consulted
Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 13 Mar. 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/>.
Diction
Ai Ting ChanDiction is the writer's choice of words, details, and phrases, especially with regard to correctness, clearness, and effectiveness, which combine to create a specific meaning and effect within a passage. There are four main overarching types of diction: formal, informal, colloquial, and slang (Encyclopædia Britannica).
The five different types of diction exemplified below are: archaic diction, slang, jargon, profanity, and vulgarity.
Archaic diction
Archaic diction is the use of a form of speech or writing that is no longer current. This can either be done deliberately to achieve a specific effect, as a part of a specific jargon such as in the area of law, or as a formula, in religious contexts for instance (Wikipedia). Archaic diction is most frequently encountered in poetry, law, ritual writing, and speech.An example can be taken from Sophocles' play, Oedipus the King, when the chorus sings in the first strophe, "Thou god of Healing, Phoebus Apollo,/ How do I fear! What hast thou in mind/ To bring upon us now? what is to be fulfilled/ From days of old?/Tell me this, O Voice divine,/ Thou child of golden Hope" (152 - 157). The usage of words such as "thou" and "hast", as well as the sentence structures, are examples of archaic diction, as they are no longer in common use today.
Slang
Slang is informal vocabulary of extreme informality. Slang can be composed typically of invented words, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagent figures of speech. It can also refer to unconventional words or phrases that express something in a new way; it is flippant, irreverent, indecorous, and maybe even indecent or obscene.Slang can be found in the words of Colonel Lazaro Aponte, in Gabriel Garcia-Marquez's novel Chronicle of a Death Foretold. When the Colonel discovers Pedro and Pablo in Clotilde Armenta's store, he "thinks they are nothing but a pair of big bluffers" (65). The word "bluffers", in this case, is slang for "liars".
Jargon
Jargon is the special language of a profession or group, such as medical jargon or legal jargon. There is usually the implication that jargon is evasice and tedious. It is also often consists of unintelligible, obscure and pretentious language. Basically, jargon is the technical terminology specific to an occupation. The writings of a lawyer and the literary critic, for instance, are both susceptible to jargon.Legal jargon is evident in The Stranger, written by Albert Camus, when Meursault is on trial for the murder of the Arab. Meursault does not pay attention throughout the entirety of his trial. When the verdict is announced, he does not recall the words of the judges verbatim, and simple remembers the words "guilty of murder"..."premeditated"..."extenuating circumstances" (106), which are most likely legal jargon.
Profanity
Profanity is the use of profane and irreverent language. It is the usage of a word, expression or gesture which is socially constructed as insulting, rude, and vulgar. The use and meaning of profanity is culturally and linguistically specific; in fact, a term that functions as profanity in one language may often lack any profane quality after being translated into another language. Profanity represents a secular indiferrence to religion, as well as expressions with scatological, sexist, derogatory, racist, or sexual themes.
In Albert Camus' The Stranger, the minor character, Salamano, constantly bellows and curses at his dog, calling him a "filthy, stinking bastard" (27) who deserves to "damn well die" (39). Profanity is shown in the obscene word choices of "bastard" and "damn well die" as Salamano yells at his pet dog.
Vulgarity
Vulgarity is the usage of obscene word and language. Vulgarity is similar to, but not entirely synonymous with profanity; the former consists of offenses against deities. On the other hand, profanity is basically a word or phrase that is put into place of another working force. Vultarity is pretentious and lay unwarranted claim to social graces and education, thus attempting to inflate the status of the user (Wikipedia).Vulgarity can also be seen in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, where Poncho Lanao says she'll "never forget the terrible smell of shit" (142) as Santiago walked in the morning he was murdered, with his intestines hanging in his hands. This sentence shows vulgar diction in that the word "shit" can be replaced by a euphemism, such as "faeces" or "waste", or simply just an "arid smell". However, Gabriel Garcia-Marquez chose the word "shit" -- an example of vulgarity in the novel.
Works Consulted